SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Santa Clara softball went toe to toe with No. 11 Stanford, outhitting the Cardinal, but fell 4-1 on a chilly home opener at SCU Softball Stadium on Wednesday night.
Santa Clara (3-7) brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh but their rally was quashed by Alana Vawter who retired the last two Broncos with a pair of runners on.
A three-run sixth inning proved to be the difference in the game as Stanford (9-2) got an RBI single from Aly Kaneshiro and scored twice on a Bronco fielding error that pushed the lead out to 4-0.
Vawter (4-1) came in relief in the second and pitched the rest of the way. She allowed six hits, struck out eight and allowed one run to pick up the win.
Sage Hager (1-2) started in the circle for the Broncos and gave up just one hit and a run over four innings but was saddled with the loss.
The trio of Santa Clara pitchers – Hager, Regan Dias and Hazyl Gray – gave up five hits combined and allowed just two earned runs, helped by defensive gems by all three outfielders, Robynn Balmediano, Ashley Trierweiler and Baily McLaughlin
Kaneshiro went 1-for-2 and had both the Cardinal RBIs.
What a catch by Balmediano! pic.twitter.com/8j96UNpwhN
— Santa Clara Softball (@SCUSoftball) February 23, 2023
Thats why @ashleytree50 is a WCC Defensive Player of the Year! pic.twitter.com/I6QQZkRHFV
— Santa Clara Softball (@SCUSoftball) February 23, 2023
Your turn @baileyann__ pic.twitter.com/WOc90qD2dR
— Santa Clara Softball (@SCUSoftball) February 23, 2023
NEXT UP
Santa Clara and San José State co-host the 2023 Silicon Valley Classic I tournament from Friday to Sunday. The Broncos will host a total of eight games at SCU Softball Stadium and will play in five of them.
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